Material Kitchen Knives Will Cut Literally Anything, We Promise

Welcome to Skimm Tested, where we put products to the test and then give 'em a report card. (Check out all of our tried-and-tested faves here.)

The assignment…

To test the sharpness and resiliency of Material’s trio of kitchen knives ($155). You can buy the set with a stand ($90), making the combo ($225) a home staple that looks darn pretty on a countertop.

Straight A’s in…

• Sharpness. Our editor found Material’s trio of knives to be incredibly effective at cutting literally everything, from fruit to veggies to meat. Sure, some foods take a bit more force, but each and every time they performed beautifully. PS: They’re made from Japanese high-carbon and stainless steel, so they’re the definition of solid. 

• Versatility. The set includes an 8-inch knife, a serrated 6-inch knife, and an almost 4-inch knife, plus the stand. This means that you have something for nearly every food prep task. The serrated knife is most commonly used for bread, but you can still use it for other items like cake. The almost 4-inch paring knife is best for smaller tasks, so controlled slicing and dicing. Our editor loved this wide range of utility. And while yes, the stand serves one purpose, it does so perfectly.  

• Longevity. Our editor has been using the set for over a year now and firmly stands behind the knives' durability. She hand washes them, but even with the amount of use they’ve gotten, they’re still incredibly sharp. However, that doesn’t mean you should ignore general upkeep. Material offers a handheld sharpener and as a general rule of thumb, if you can no longer cut through a tomato easily, it’s time to freshen the blades. 

• Style. To cut to the chase, this set essentially doubles as kitchen decor. And we love that. 

Room for growth…

• Potential dustiness. Since the stand is out on your countertop day in, day out, it can collect a light film of dust. Not really an issue, but we recommend spot-treating with a damp cloth from time to time.

• Sharpener sold separately. For maintenance, you should have access to a sharpener, but it is not included in the set. Granted it’s $15, but with the purchase of the knives and stand, we think the inclusion of the sharpener would be a nice touch. 

• Price tag. We’ll be transparent on this one; the price of the set is double digits, so it’s up there. We definitely consider this to be more of an investment piece, but seriously worth it.

Plays well with…

• Home chefs who want a set of go-to knives for literally anything and everything — slicing fruit, cutting bread, and dicing veggies.

• Those into aesthetically pleasing home goods. You want something on your countertop that’ll look sleek, and this set delivers.

• Anyone who doesn’t want to store sharp knives in a drawer. The stand keeps the knives lofted and easily accessible.

Gets extra credit for…

• Being a community-focused company that has donated over $150,000 to organizations working to provide food and support to those in underserved groups throughout the US. 

• Having a wide variety of products, from prepware to cookware to glassware and more.

How we did our homework…

• One Skimm editor has owned the set for over a year now, chopping, slicing, dicing — and everything in between. She absolutely loves the knives and stands behind their performance. She's washed them, used, and reused. She also attests to how safe the different knives feel in her hands; you can grip each size tightly (without hand cramps) and feel entirely in control. Both noted versatility, durability, and style. She gushed over how pretty the knives and stand are, so keeping the set out on a kitchen countertop only adds to decor. PS: Another editor also owns Material’s cutting board and raves about them. She highly recommends the tinier version for quick daily jobs where you want minimal cleanup.

Footnotes…

• $225 for the set

• Knives are available in three colors, while the stand is available in two.

• Featured in Oprah’s Favorite Things 2021.